Beaumont ‘Far Side’ Mourvedre 2019 Bot River, Walker Bay, Western Cape, South Africa 75cl

Beaumont is a family-run farm in the Overberg village of Bot River, home to one of the region’s oldest cellars and a history stretching back to the 1700s. Under Sebastian Beaumont the estate has become known for characterful, restrained wines with a strong sense of place, made with patience rather than flash.

The Far Side range is where Beaumont explores less usual varieties, and Mourvedre is a fine example. A grape that loves warmth yet holds its savoury nerve, it is bottled here on its own, giving a red full of personality and a distinctly wild, southern-French accent that sets it apart from the estate’s other reds.

The 2019 season in the Cape gave balanced, expressive reds after a run of dry years. Now settling into its stride, this Mourvedre shows ripe fruit framed by fresh structure, with the firm young tannins beginning to soften and knit together.

Deep and brooding, it carries dark berry fruit, black pepper and the gamey, almost meaty note that marks good Mourvedre, all lifted by a dried-herb, garrigue-like edge. Medium to full in body, it is structured and firm in its youth, built to reward a few years in the cellar or a good decant now.

This is a red for the table, at its happiest with grilled lamb, game or a slow-cooked casserole on a cold evening. If you enjoy Bandol or a peppery southern Rhone, Beaumont’s Far Side Mourvedre offers a genuine, characterful Cape take on the style, and a rewarding one for anyone who likes a red with a story.